Ten-minute hat-trick hero Trevor Fitzpatrick cast his thoughts towards next season after firing Blues' reserves to a Roots Hall victory over Bristol City.

The 20-year-old striker's second-half treble helped the Shrimpers overturn a two-goal deficit against a very young Robins outfit as Southend ended their home Avon Insurance Combination fixtures on a winning note.

And now, the Irishman, who is the Seasiders' top second-string scorer with nine goals in 19 appearances, is hoping to get a chance in Southend's first-team before the end of the season.

"I've never scored a hat-trick for Southend before, at any level, and hopefully this will help," said Fitzpatrick, who could replace Blues forward Steve Jones, who is suspended for the Shrimpers' visit to Shrewsbury Town in a fortnight's time.

"I'm working hard in training and I'm on a strict diet to get myself back into shape and it would be great to play in one of the first-team's last five matches."

Fitzpatrick was recently criticised by Blues boss Alan Little for being overweight and unfit, following an on pitch bust-up during Southend's 2-1 success against Hartlepool United in February, which saw the striker suffer the embarrassment of becoming a substituted substitute.

"Me and the gaffer are fine now, there's no problem and all that's been forgotten about," Fitzpatrick added.

"I know I've had a really disappointing season, it's been the worst year of my life, but I'm only young and I know I can make up for it.

"Last summer I was away in Sweden with Ireland's under-19 side playing in the European Championships and I missed most of our pre-season work-out, which hasn't helped me.

"But I'll definitely be knuckling down this summer and working as hard as I can because I want to establish myself in the first-team next term."

Bristol City took the lead after 26 minutes when Blues keeper Mark Prudhoe flapped at Scott Morrison's right-wing corner, allowing Danny Coles to steal in and head home from close range.

And Coles doubled the visitors' lead from the penalty-spot, belting the ball in the left-hand corner of Prudhoe's net, four minutes before the break, when Southend defender Rob Newman was harshly penalised for handball.

However, Fitzpatrick, who had been virtually non-existent during the first period, came alive after the break, keeping a cool head to claim his first goal, smashing a tight angled drive just inside the left-hand post after 69 minutes.

And eight minutes later, Fitzpatrick thundered his second strike past Robins keeper Antony Malessa, converting Blues defender Garry Cross' right by-line centre.

The freshly inspired youngster completed his treble on 79 minutes, heading Scott Houghton's left-wing cross into the roof of the net.

Southend United: Prudhoe, Newman, McDonald, Johnson, Cross, Clarke, Maher, Kerrigan, Houghton, Abiodun, Fitzpatrick.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.